CEET: Career Development

Career Development Core and Pilot Projects

Career Development Core

The mission of the Career Development Core (CDC) is to provide career training for the next generation of environmental health scientists, to develop the careers of rising young faculty so that they can become independent scientists, and to attract senior investigators into environmental health. The philosophy of the CDC is that career training is a continuum that begins with the terminal degree, proceeds through postdoctoral training and education, and on to junior faculty; mindful that graduate and postdoctoral should prepare individuals as environmental health science professionals in the broader context .Special emphasis is placed on the career training of clinician-scientists who often do not identify their interests as being in environmental health. This mission is accomplished by the following activities:

to further develop a graduate training program in Environmental Health Sciences;
to provide an MD Certificate Program in Environmental Health Sciences;
to develop an Institutional Clinician-Scientist Training Program in Environmental Health Sciences
to submit Institutional Training Grants in environmental health sciences to benefit both basic and clinician-scientist trainees;
to recruit junior faculty as CEET investigators;
maintain a data-base of all junior investigators conducting research in environmental health sciences;
to maintain a mentoring committee and develop a formalized career development plan for junior investigators;
identify candidates that could apply for new investigator awards and Pilot Project funding from the CEET, as well as extramural funding;
attract senior investigators in to environmental health sciences for the first time.

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Pilot Project Funding

No pilot project opportunities currently available.

Winners of the April 2012 Competition

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Changes in Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET) Pilot Projects

To further stimulate research in the environmental health sciences and allow potential applicants to better plan for submissions, the CEET has adopted a new model for the pilot project application process beginning April 01, 2012. There will be three competitions annually:

Deadline	Review of Applications	Award Date of Funded Applications
April 1	May	June 1
September 1	October	November 1
January 1	February	March 1

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The Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET) is proud to announce the winners of the Fall 2011 Pilot Project Competitions.

General Environmental Health Science Pilot Projects:

The Effects of Phthalates on the Expression of the Novel Growth Factor Progranulim in Reproduction
George Gerton, PhD
Research Professor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health

Protein Kinase C Epsilon and Lung Carcinogenesis
Marcelo G. Kazanietz, PhD
Professor of Pharmacology

Superfund-Supported Pilot Projects:

Detection of Autoantibodies in Asbestos Exposed Individuals and Patients with Malignant Mesothelioma
Steven Albelda, M.D.
William Maul Measey Professor of Medicine
Vice Chief, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Division
Director of Lung Research
Co-Director, Thoracic Oncology Laboratories

Co-Sponsored with the Abramson Cancer Center

Gene Expression Profiling of Flaxseed in Mouse Lung Tissues Following Exposure to a Tobacco Carcinogen
Melpo Christofidou-Solomidou, PhD
Research Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania Medical Center
Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Division

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The Penn Nanotoxicology Alliance (Nanotechnology Institute, Nano/Bio Interface Center, Center for Translational Targeted Therapeutics and Nanomedicine, and the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology) is proud to announce the winners of the 2010 Competition:

Engineered Dextran Nanoparticles for Targeted Cell Uptake and Intracellular Release
Russell Composto Picture
Russell J. Composto, PhD
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering/ SEAS

Biocompatible Superparamagnetic Polymersomes

So-Jung Park, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry

Synthesis, Characterization and Toxicity Studies of Biocompatible Phospholipid-coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Containing Cobalt for Thermal Cancer Therapy
Nat Picture of Nathalie Scholler halie Scholler, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology

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Previous Pilot Project Awards...

General Environmental Health Award:

Dietary Manipulation of Oxidative Lipid Stress Patterns in Brain
Paul Axelsen, MD
Professor of Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, and Medicine/Infectious Disease

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with High Doses of w-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty
Acids (Fish Oil) on the Composition of the Intestinal Microbiome in Healthy Volunteers
Carsten Skarke, MD
Research Assistant Professor of Medicine in Pharmacology
Robert L. McNeil Fellow in Translational Medicine and Therapeutics
Department of Pharmacology

Mentored Scientist Transition Award:

Understanding the Additive Effects of Genetic-epigenetic-environmental Interactions on Disease
Folami Y. Ideraabdullah, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow, Bartolomei Lab

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Congratulations to the following investigators who have been awarded pilot project funding for 2010!

Community Exposure to Asbestos in West and South Ambler Residents
Edward A Emmett, MD
Professor, Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Department of Emergency Medicine

Frances Barg, PhD
Assistant Professor of Anthropology and of Community and Family Medicine

Collaborating Investigator:
Adriana Petryna, PhD
Associate Professor of Anthropology

Novel Nanoparticle Delivery of Vitamin D3 and Bronchodilators in Asthma
Rey Panettieri, MD
Professor of Medicine

Characterization and Culture of Primary Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Obtained at Flexible Bronchoscopy
Anil Vachani, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine

James Kreindler, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Environmental Exposures and Biomarkers of Pancreatic Cancer
Kenneth H. Yu, MD
Instructor, Division of Hematology/Oncology

Impact of Arsenic Exposure on Circadian Clock
Xiangzhong Zheng, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Neuroscience

Nanotoxicology Project Project Competition 2009

The Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET) and the Nanotechnology Institute (NTI) are pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 Nanotoxicology competition:

Dennis Discher, PhD

Dennis Discher Picture
Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Evading Macrophage Clearance of Nanoparticles by Functionalization with ‘Marker of Self’ Protein CD47

Vladimir Muzykantov, MD, PhD

Muzykantov picture
Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Medicine
Toxicology of Bare and Coated Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Vascular Applications

Past Competitions

The following have been awarded pilot project funding through the CEET 2009 Pilot Project Competition:

Roger Greenberg, MD, Ph.D.
Assistant Investigator, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute
Assistant Professor, Department of Cancer Biology
Structural and Functional Studies of the Rap80 Breast Cancer Suppressor
Protein Complex

Yi Jin, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology
Role of Aldo-Keto Reductases (AKRs) in Hepatic and Lung Metabolism of Natural and Synthetic Glucocorticoids: Insights into Systemic and Local Effects of Inhaled Corticosteroids for Asthma

Principal Investigator
Drew Torigian, MD, MA
Assistant Professor of Radiology

Co-Investigator:
Judith Green McKenzie, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine
Division of Occupational Medicine

Co-Investigator:
Abass Alavi MD, PhD (hon), DSc (hon).
Professor of Radiology
A Pilot Study of the Feasibility and Validity of FDG-PET/CT to Quantitatively Assess Differential Metabolic and Inflammatory Changes in Organs of the Whole Body in Relation to Tobacco Use

Yoko Yamakoshi, PhD
Research Assistant Professor of Radiology
Safety Evaluation of Carbon-Based Nanomaterials

2008 Pilot Project Funding Recipients

Marisa S. Bartolomei, PhD
Professor, Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Effects of Bisphenol A on Genomic Imprinting in the Mouse

Samantha Butts, MD MSCE
Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Division of Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology
Markers of Oxidative Stress in Premature Ovarian Aging

Ina Dobrinski, Dr.med.vet., M.V.Sc., Ph.D., Dip.ACT
Associate Professor of Large Animal Reproduction
Marion Dilly and Robert George Jones Chair in Animal Reproduction
Director, Center for Animal Transgenesis and Germ Cell Research
School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center
Use of a Novel Xenotransplantation Model to Study Effects of Chronic Exposure to Phthalate Esters on the Developing Primate Testis

Samuel Parry, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Co-Leader, CEET Endocrine and Reproduction Disruption Affinity Group
Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Spontaneous Preterm Delivery

2007 Pilot Project Funding Recipients:

Vivian Cheung, M.D.
Associate Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics
Biomarkers for Exposure to Ionizing Radiation

Richard Doty, Ph.D.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery
Influences of Nasally-Instilled Heavy Metals on Olfactory and Limbic System Pathology in Transgenic Mouse Models of Neurodegenerative Disease

Melpo Christofidou-Solomidou, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor of Medicine
Chemopreventive Action of Phytochemicals in a Mouse Model of Lung Carcinogenesis

Pilot Project Funding Recipients for the Lung Cancer Initiative (Sponsored by the Abramson Cancer Center and the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET)).

Jeffrey Field, Ph.D.
Role of Reactive Oxygen in Tobacco-Independent Lung Cancer

Joseph S. Friedberg, M.D., FACS
Utilizing Photodynamic Therapy to Generate Anti-Tumor Vaccines in an Immunocompetent Murine Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Model

Anil Vachani, M.D. and Marcia Brose, M.D., Ph.D.
Unraveling the Genomic Changes in Lung Cancer

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New Investigator Funding

The CEET New Investigator Program helps support the research mission of new investigators that have an identifiable major research theme relevant to the Center. New investigators (newly appointed research or tenure-track faculty) that have a natural affinity for the CEET can be nominated by the Chair of their Department for support from the new-investigator program. Affinity Group Leaders can also nominate candidates from new faculty that may join their thematic areas. Funds can be used to support the salary and components of the research program of the investigator.

Eligibility Requirements
The New Investigator must have been appointed to the faculty as a Research or Tenure Track Assistant Professor within the last 12-months. They must have applied for membership to the Center and their major research theme must be in environmental toxicology. Evidence of this research emphasis must be documented in their curriculum vitae. If the new investigator has obtained R01 support from the NIH they will be ineligible to be nominated. New investigators must be nominated either by their Chair or by the Leader of an Affinity Group with which they have a natural research affinity.

Application Process
Requests for New Investigator Awards will be publicized when sufficient funds exist. The main criteria will be documentation of an exciting and competitive research program in environmental health or toxicological research.

New Investigators who receive support from the Center will bear the title “New Investigator of the Center of Excellence for Environmental Toxicology”. They will be required to acknowledge this title and Center support on all peer-reviewed publications that result from this support, irrespective of the timeframe in which the work is published. An annual report will be required for each of the three years that succeed the award to indicate which peer-reviewed publications and which externally funded research grants were awarded as the result of Center support.

CEET announces its first New Investigator. ..

Samantha Butts Picture The CEET is proud to announce the appointment of our first New Investigator of the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Samantha Butts, MD, MSCE, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and member of the Oxidative Stress and Oxidative Stress Injury and Endocrine and Reproduction Disruption Affinity Groups. This award will allow Dr. Butts to continue her research in the area of oxidative stress and depleted ovarian reserve.

NIH New Investigator Funding Opportunities
NIH Pathway to Independence Award (PA-06-133)
The NIH Pathway to Independence Award is an innovative, new program that will provide an opportunity for promising postdoctoral scientists to receive both mentored and independent research support from the same award. NIH plans to issue between 150 and 200 awards for this program in the first year, and for the each of the next five years, amounting to approximately $390 million. The actual number and distribution of awards made by the NIH Institutes and Centers will depend upon the quality of the applications received and the results of the scientific peer review process.
The initial application submission date for the PI Award is April 7, 2006. Thereafter, the same standard submission dates for research career development awards will be used.

OTHER....

Society of Toxicology Awards

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Career Development Awards

K Grants
Research Career Transition Awards

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Other Opportunities

Graduate Students

Postdocs

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